Swimming through the Lake Balaton

The swimming through the lake Balaton usually starts at Revfülöp at the North shore and ends at Balatonboglar. This is quite a nice event, the gathering is at the Revfulop soccer field usually. It takes hours that everybody gets into the water. Along the way there are boats all along at both sides at every 50m where the swimmers go. It is usually held in July. The distance is 5.2km / 3.23 miles.

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Date in 2015/2016: 2015 Július 4./2nd of July 2016. can change due to weater conditions

Participation fee: 7000 HUF / who was born later than 2001 3000 HUF. (in 2014)

The date can change due to weather conditions. The distance is 5.2 km or 3.3 miles, which the fastest can finish in 1 hour. Before start there is medical check and shower.

If somebody gets tired can climb up the boats all along the way.

The participants goes to the water during long hours (8-14h).

Drinking alcohol is forbidden, the younger ones under age 14 only can swim together with adults.

Nice green at the distance and everthing gleaming.

In sunny weather some clothes on the head is strongly recomended. Medical check paper is necessary (not older than 1 month), other way there is a doctor at the place, but in this case must wait.

The neighborhood at Révfülöpön

The neighborhood is quite nice with an alley, waterbirds, natural looking area.Plane trees with a bicycle road in the middle.

Harley Davidson Open road fest

Blue regatta

Be my lake Fest

Lake Balaton cities

The tree biggest city next to Lake Balaton is Siofok, Keszthely and Balatonfüred. All three has around 20-25,000 inhabitants. Apart from people in weekend houses, Keszthely looks the most as a real city with people constantly living there.

Siofok typically looks like a resort with weekend houses and a small center area which looks like a small city. Balatonfüred look more like city than Siofok, but not as much as Keszthely. All tree cities are quite different.

Apart from these 3 cities, most of the other places looks smaller resort villages, mostly with maximum 2 level houses.

Popularity

The most popular tourist target is Siofok, and Balatonfured is the second most popular target. Other popular targets are Csopak, Tihany, Balatonalmadi.

In the region Veszprem is the biggest city with app 60,000 inhabitants.

All Lake Balaton cities or villages in ABC order

Hope not miss any settlement. There are some settlements with Balaton- first part but not actually next to the Lake.

Ábrahámhegy (Nortwest)

There is a very nice viewpoint in the Bökk hill. It was made in 2002. In the former school there is a Bernath Aurel painter exhibition. In the other room Csörgey Titusz ornitologist has an exhibition, who spend there summers here. He was famous about his bird drawings.

Alsóörs (Northeast)

The famous Open road Harley Davidson festival is usually held here in every June.

Aszófő

Aszófő is located at the foot of the Tihany peninsula. The Vékény spring crosses the settlement, and there was many watermills here. It is really close to Tihany and Örvényes as well. No beach here, but both two other Beaches in Tihany and Örvényes is really close (2.7km is the Sajkod beach in Tihany).

Badacsony

There are three or four settlements or places with Badacsony- first tag (Badacsonyörs, -tördemic, -tomaj ).

Basically the Badacsony is the most obvious vulcanic hill next to the Lake. Badacsony is famous about wine cellars, and wine-making.

There is a regular boat between Badacsony and Fonyod across the Balaton. Badacsony is naturally very nice with huge trees, parks, green areas. There are many nice gastro and wine festivals here as well. There is a nice beach here at Badacsonytomaj as well, you can check in the videos under the Lake Balaton main page.

Balatonakarattya (Northeast)

Very nice place with good atmosphere in the Northeast part of the Lake. It is one of the closest settlements to Budapest. The famous 400 year old Rakoczi tree was here which unfortunately dried in 1968. According to several sources the tree was there as early as in 1532 as well.

Balatonalmádi (North-east)

Very nice place as well, check the video. There is an interesting VasutARTjaro. What is it? Famous artists made paintings on the Railway subway. The paintings hanging on the concrete walls. Looks interesting. There are some temples as well, as in other places.

Balatonakali (North-middle)

It is also a nice place in the Middle-North region. There are some old houses and wine press here, a garden-cinema near the railway station, there are mini-golf as well. There is a Horse riding opportunity and Contemporary Art gallery (Mozaik Art gallery).

Balatonaliga (South-east)

Balatonaliga is located app 90km from Budapest, it is at the Eastest part of the Lake. Balatonaliga is famous about the sailing boats, you can even rent one here. In the communist era it was the resort of the Hungarian political elite. Even Fidel Castro visited the closed luxury resort here together with many other politicians.

Balatonberény

Balatonberény is located at the farest Southwest corner of Lake Balaton. It is not as noisy as Siofok has some nice old style houses and a wine hill. Mostly they prefer red wines (Pinot Noir, Merlot). There is a beach as well, as everywhere. Around the lake there are some nice natural places where you can see lots of animals, butterflies, etc. When we were there we saw a red fox, many birds, a snake, many butterflies.

Balatonboglár

Balatonboglár is located in the Middle-East part of the South shore. It is a popular place with many visitors. Famous about winemaking, sparkling wines as well.

Balatonederics

Most people think Africa museum where hear the name of Balatonederics. In the Africa museum you can find not just several objects but there are animals as well, like buffalo, african tent and several other things. It is located at the middle of the North shore.

Balatonfenyves

In Balatonfenyves there is a small train, and a covered riding hall as well. In Fall migration there are many interesting shorebirds can be found here from Northern countries.

Balatonföldvár

In Balatonföldvár huge Plane tree alley can be found near to the shore. There is an old communst Style hotel as well, and several beaches. It is located at the South shore.

Balatonfüred

Balatonfüred is the second most popular place next to Lake Balaton. There is nice park next to the Lake, a Bay, a Heart hospital, where Rabindranath Tagore visited as well. There is a street in Balatonfüred which has the name of Tagore alley. There is forests, and small hills as well.

Balatonfűzfő

Balatonfűzfő is an ancient settlement, there was a settlement here even the times the Hungarians arrived in 896. The settlent was called Máma at that times. There is the Tobruk beach here, but there are some interesting old buildings and smaller hills as well, nice places for fishing, summer toboggan and surf club, and adventure park as well. It is located in the Northeast part of the shore.

Balatongyörök

Balatongyörök has a nice viewpoint with a beautiful panorama on the Lake and on the Keszthely hills. There are several viewpoints there.

Balatonkenese

Balatonkenese is also located in the popular Northeast region. There are several beaches on huge plain area, which makes it very enjoyable. There is a nature trail as well dedicated to a special plant called Tátorján which only here can be found in Central Europe in bigger number (Crambe Tataria). Loess walls is also can be found here, which usually gives home birds like Swallows and Bee eaters.

Balatonkeresztúr

Balatonkeresztúr has a gorgeus temple which you can check in 3D in the settlement’s official page. From the Grape hill you can have a nice view on the Southwest Balaton area. The settlement is surrounded with natural green areas like the Nagy Berek and the Kis Balaton nature reserve. Balatonkeresztúr has only a little shore area between Balatonberény and Balatonmáriafürdő.

Balatonlelle

Balatonlelle is also a popular city in the South shore. There are two very popular places, the Kishegy (Small hill) and Radpuszta which is a huge complex with wine cellar, horse riding possibility, restaurant. The Kis hegy is wine-growing area cellars and with forests, which continuing in long way in South direction. The free beach at the center is 1.6 km long and enjoyable.

Balatonmáriafürdő

Balatonmáriafürdő is quite a nice place at the Soutwest side of Lake Balaton. There is a bay here as well. The beach is middle sized.

Balatonöszöd

Balatonöszöd is located between Balatonszemes and Balatonszárszó. There is no gap between them, so only the locals know the borders between them. There are some temples and older houses there apart from the free beach next to the Government resort.

Balatonrendes

Balatonrendes is one of the smallest place among the others (139 people live here on 6.76 km2 according to official statistics). Balatonrendes is located at the North shore. Salföld behind Balatonrendes is an interesting settlement. This area also called Hungarian Tuscany.

Balatonszárszó

There are 3 beaches in Balatonszárszó. There is a Mini Farm as well where it is possible to touch the animals. Balatonszárszó is located in the South shore.

Balatonszemes

In the camping pizzeria with an old bike in it, I ate my best fruit soup ever. It was undescribable delicious, with many fruits. The beach is very nice too.

Balatonszentgyörgy

Balatonszentgyörgy is located in the Southwest corner of the Lake with a little shore area. The Zala river here join the Lake. The most popular places are the StarCastle, Talpashaz (Old style house museum) ,the Kis Balaton nature reserve. From the settlement’s area 659 hectare is naturally protected area.

Balatonszepezd

Balatonszepezd is located in the middle of the North shore. There are some nice temples and statues there apart from the beach. There are 3 beaches in Szepezd. There is a Castle next to the Road No 71, called Sir David Balaton Castle on a wine-growing hill, next to a forest.

Balatonszárszó

Balatonszárszó is on the South shore. Nice place with small hills. One of the most famous Hungarian poet died here, Attila Jozsef. There is a dedicated Jozsef Attila museum here. There are some nice Churches and old houses can be found here as well.

Balatonudvari

Balatonudvari is located at the North shore in the middle. Nice place. The Royal Balaton Golf and Yacht club is located here. In the cementery interesting heart shaped stones can be found.

Balatonvilágos

Balatonvilágos located at the Eastern end of Lake Balaton. Officially Balatonaliga also belongs to Balatonvilágos. There is a viewpoint, and a Sacred Crown statue which is the highest point in Balatonvilágos.

Csopak

Csopak is a very popular beach with many events partly beause it is the closest to Veszprem, the city of queens which is the biggest city nearby.

Fonyod

Very nice place at the Southwest part of the Lake. There are 4 beaches here included free and payed one, two viewpoints, a very nice fishing lake, and a huge natural area and a unique little spa nearby.

Gyenesdiás

Gyenesdiás located at the Northwest part of the Lake. There are many attractions here from the bird park, through the Viewpoint and the Pastoral house, to the Adventure park and many others (shooting club, all kinds of tours etc). There are some wine tasting here places as well. The kid beach is among the higher rated beaches in Lake Balaton.

Káptalanfüred

Káptalanfüred is located at the Northeast part of the Lake. This is one of the most popular area, partly it is closer to Budapest, than the Western areas.

Révfülöp

The Swimming through the lake popular competition starts here.

Örvényes

Next to Tihany peninsula, small settlement, small beach, but nice very natural values, there are some protected areas as well. Nearby there is a watermill as well.

Paloznak

Siofok

Siofok is the most visited city at Lake Balaton at the South shore. It is famous party town. Siofok has app. 25,000 inhabitants.

Szántód

Keszthely

Keszhely is located in the Northwest part of the Lake. Keszthely has app 24,000 inhabitants. The Festetics Castle which is one of the finest Baroque Castle in Hungary can be found in the city center. Keszthely has several beaches as well. Keszthely several nice restaurants, several museums as well, perhaps the most in the area. This is the most real city looking settlement, not packed with weekend houses, as most other settlements.

Szigliget

Szigliget can be found in Nortwest part of the Lake. Although it is relatively smaller settlement, but veryinteresting for several reasons. One of the reasons that there is a huge Castle ruin in Szigliget which gives one of the best view on the Lake and on the neighborhood as well. There is a small hill here as well, on top of which the Castle was built. There is an Eszterhazy Castle as well, which is more like a garden today, kept by the painters community.

Tihany

Tihany is one of the most interesting city here. It was famous partly about the Echo, but it is gone due to new buildings and vegetation. Apart from the Echo there are much more interesting things here: two lakes, a thousand year old monastery, monk houses in the rock, huge forest next to the lake, Sajkod beach, the peninsula, the lake has the smallest width here between the peninsula and the South shore. There are vulcanic stuctures and many butterflies, and lavenders as well (there is a dedicated Lavender fest here). There are several good resturants as well. Regular boats goes between Tihany and Szantod and Siofok.

Vonarcvashegy (Northwest)

Zamardi (Souteast)

The popular Balaton sound festival usually held here. (Sleeping is hard in the nearby campings).

Zánka

In 2015 Zanka opened the herb valley, formerly it was known for the pioneer camp. There are some military equipments can be checked here as well.

Cities or villages nearby

Mostly include here Balaton uplands area with basalt witness hills, which is sometimes referred as Hungarian Toscana. Huge parts of this area are protected by the Balaton uplands National Park.

The most popular targets around

Hévíz

Hévíz is the 2nd most popular city in Hungary, after Budapest, the capital. It is not located next to Lake Balaton, but not far from the Northwest part of the Lake. In Heviz there is a 4 ha unique hotwater lake, and lots of wellness Hotels.

Zalakaros

Zalakaros is an exteremely popular spa city near to the Lake Balaton’s Soutwest part. It is close to the Kis Balaton nature protecting area. It is around the 5th most popular tourist target in Hungary.

Veszprém

Veszprém is the biggest city in the region with app 60-70,000 inhabitants, a huge zoo (good for bad weather), nice inner city on a hill, lots of museums.

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Salföld

Szentbékkála

Köveskál

Kővágóörs

Kékkút

Káptalantóti

Nemesgulács

Cserszegtomaj

Lake Balaton wineries

There are many wineries around the Lake Balaton. The most wineries can be found in Badacsony, the North areas of the Lake and Balatonboglar area in South. The side of the vulcanic hill is very good for winemaking, and there are many cellars there as well. The locals like to invite people in their cellars to taste their wines.

There are also several wine festivals next to Lake Balaton during the year.

In the Fesztetics castle in Keszthely winetasting is possible from the region’s different wines.